Tech Talk Season 02 Episode 01: Smart Satellites, Hyper Glue, Deepfake Technology from Snapchat

Hey Tech Fans. We’re back with some new smart technology and a new product that puts super glue to shame. What will they think of next?

This is the latest version of LA NPDT Tech Talk where we bring you the latest in science and technology and keep you tuned in the newest gadgets and product innovations across the globe.

Join LA New Product Development Team for the most recent, up-to-date tech news each week, as we explore the latest and greatest. Now, let’s get to today’s news.

Smartphones, Smart TVs, and now. . . .

Smart satellites. Aerospace engineers at the University of Cincinnati are developing technology that will allow us to repair and refuel satellites while still in space. Today when satellites break, they sit desolate in space, orbiting Earth until gravity draws them back into the atmosphere, many years later. The University of Cincinnati team is looking at robotic satellites that would be able to dock with other satellites when they need repair or refueling.

The engineers are testing a satellite’s ability to grab another satellite, without causing it to tumble into space. Testing robotic arms by using artificial intelligence called genetic fuzzy logic, the team is using strings to attach tokens to specific spots on a table. Each robot controls one string and must cooperate with other robots to complete each task. The team has been able to have up to 5 robots working together to complete tasks.

While the technology is still being developed, it only makes sense that we would be able to fix a broken satellite in space. Let’s face it, it’s not often we build something that is work a half-million dollars with no way to fix it when it needs help.

Is Super Glue a Thing of the Past?

Glue is everywhere. Kids are using it for school projects and their parents use it to fix broken toys. Doctors use it so seal wounds. Everywhere we look, we can find examples, and it’s now being taken to the next level.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria have developed a new ‘hyper-glue’ that is more resistant to corrosion. The team found a way of bonding plastics and synthetic fibers at the molecular level. Using heat or long-wave UV light, they were able to cross-link the materials, creating bonds that are impact-resistant and corrosion-resistant.

The team found out that the adhesive is amazingly effective in the high-density polyethylene used in plastic bottles and plastic lumber. Commercial glues haven’t worked at all on these materials, so the hyper-glue could be a solid foundation for a wide range of new uses.

Some potential uses for this new glue? Paints that don’t peel, waterproofing that only needs to be sealed once, fusing together plastics in recycling, and also fusing together different layers of fabric to create clothing for extreme environments.

Deepfake Technology

In an effort to differentiate itself from Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, Snapchat just rolled out a test version of the app using deepfake technology, which basically allows you to put yourself into a video or GIF. They are calling the feature Cameo. Using this new feature allows you to put your face on a video and send it to friends and family.

You’ll find the new feature in the Chat sticker bar once it is live. To use it, you’ll choose a body for your face to appear on, and Snapchat will manipulate your face onto the image, allowing it to display different expressions. You will also be able to appear in Cameos with your friends if they are on Snapchat.

Deepfake technology has been under criticism lately because it could be used to produce fake videos with malicious intent. While the Snapchat version seems to be good, clean fun, we’ll have to wait and see where it leads.
The feature rolls out worldwide on Dec. 18.

And that’s a wrap of today’s tech